Easy hiking routes, level cycling paths and historic memorial sites offer different ways to spend time in Möhrenbach. Other highlights include the centrally located Pferdeteich pond and a half-timbered house built in 1606.
Exploring on Foot or by Bike
In the peaceful surroundings, easy hiking routes and level cycling paths are inviting to use all year round. The distinction is clear when planning: the hiking routes are easy, while the cycling paths are level. You can choose whether you would prefer to explore Möhrenbach on foot or by bike.
Nearby, the circular route “Möhrenbach to Langer Berg and Back” first follows the Ilm-Rennsteig cycle route towards Gehren, then continues along the “Wurzelkurtpfad” trail. It is marked with a yellow bar on a white background. As trail conditions can change, it is a good idea to check the latest information before setting out.
The Linke-Greiner-Hütte shelter stands at the front of Schmiedehaupt. It can be reached via Gykelberg, passing the war memorial.
The Pond and Older Local History
The centrally located Pferdeteich pond in Möhrenbach is sometimes also called Schwanenteich. It is documented as being well over 100 years old and was originally an unpaved natural pond. Its name probably refers to farm horses that were watered there and enabled merchants carrying goods and belongings to make the ascent to the neighboring mountains.
The Pochwerk, Möhrenbach’s oldest little house, stands in the upper part of Porzel. This traditionally built half-timbered house, with its small plank-panelled room, was built in 1606.
Memorial Sites in Möhrenbach and the Surrounding Area
From 1919 to 1936, the steel bell rang for Möhrenbach’s residents from the bell tower. It was later dedicated as a memorial at the front of Gansleitkuppe. The war memorial at Hühnerstein on Gykelberg was dedicated in 1935 near the “Eiche” oak tree on the occasion of the local festival. It commemorates Möhrenbach’s fallen soldiers of the First World War.
In the neighboring Wohlrosetal valley, a small information board and memorial stone at the site of the murder commemorate forester Albin Walther. A poacher from Friedersdorf shot him there on September 5, 1909; on the morning of September 6, Walther died in Möhrenbach from his serious injuries and extensive blood loss. The memorial stands between Wohlrosetalstraße, near Ratsmühle, and the “Leidchen” on Gykelberg. An ivy-covered gravestone can still be found in Möhrenbach cemetery today.
More to Explore in the Broader Ilmenau Destination
The broader Ilmenau destination offers more nature and outdoor activities. Kickelhahn, Ilmenau’s local mountain, is 861 metres high; its 21-metre observation tower is one of the town’s landmarks. The 20-kilometre Goethewanderweg connects places associated with Goethe, from Ilmenau to Stützerbach. Three different trails in the Lindenberg Trail Park invite mountain bikers. Anyone planning to ride there should check the latest local information beforehand.
Ilmenau’s cultural sites offer their own highlights: the Münzkeller is right next to the Alte Münze and offers a glimpse into the 16th century. The Bergmannskapelle is on Sturmheide, in the middle of the former Ilmenau copper and silver mining district, below the spoil heap of the former “Gottes Gabe” mine. It houses an exhibition on Ilmenau’s copper shale mining.
Discover more destinations: Frauenwald, Neustadt Am Rennsteig, Pennewitz, Arnstadt, Geschwenda, Elxleben, Elleben, Ichtershausen.
Back to the broader travel overview: Ilm-Kreis.
